Augusta's 5th Street Bridge could become "Freedom Bridge," removing Confederate ties

Miguel Legoas, Augusta Chronicle
·2 min read
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FILE - The new Fifth Street pedestrian bridge on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
FILE - The new Fifth Street pedestrian bridge on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.

Augusta's newest pedestrian attraction still recognizes the president of the Confederacy, but that could change in the near future.

On Tuesday, Augusta's Engineering Services Committee voted unanimously to rename the 5th Street Bridge "Freedom Bridge," removing the historic "Jefferson Davis Memorial" moniker and the signage that still stands. The full commission will vote on the new name during its next meeting on Nov. 1.

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Currently, the bridge has two engravings with Davis' name on either side of the center of the bridge plus two plaques at the entryway that depict Davis' image and details his history.

Turning the bridge into a waterside attraction involved an $11 million renovation that took two years, including adding lighting on top and below the bridge, repainting the center to create a kind of historical walkway, adding shading and seating along the top, and similar amenities.

The plaques were removed during construction, but were cleaned and re-installed prior to reopening in late September. Lights were also added to the plaques and engravings in order to showcase them at night.

FILE - The new Fifth Street pedestrian bridge in Augusta, GA, includes a small playground with a variety of interactive activities.
FILE - The new Fifth Street pedestrian bridge in Augusta, GA, includes a small playground with a variety of interactive activities.

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The motion to rename the bridge was put forward by Augusta Commissioner Ben Hasan. Rather than naming the bridge after a person, he suggested naming it after an ideal like freedom.

Removing signs and renaming monuments dedicated to Davis was among several measures related to correcting racial injustice recommended by a mayoral task force in December 2020, though little-to-no action has been taken on the recommendations.

One of the task force's members was Lucy Craft Laney Museum historian Corey Rogers, who said hearing the bridge could get renamed is "great, great news!"

"That is an excellent thing and maybe a prelude to addressing the issues overall," said retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Gallucci, who in February 2021 called for the City of Augusta to take some real steps towards addressing racial inequities.

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The decision comes just a few just a few weeks after the federal decision to rename Fort Gordon. The installation is named after Confederate Gen. John Brown Gordon.

Fort Gordon is being renamed Fort Eisenhower, after former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and joins multiple other military installations with Confederate ties that were given recommended name changes by a congressionally authorized commission. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III signed off on those recommendations on Oct. 6.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: New name for Augusta's 5th Street Bridge to lose Jefferson Davis name